New York's Madison Square Garden held all the excitement and allure of a monster truck show for the 39th annual Grammy Awards on Wednesday night. The stadium was packed to the gills with sequined musical starlets and producers and musicians sporting the ever-popular too-long-to-be-a-businessman hair and tuxedo combinations.
Hosted by comedienne/actress Ellen DeGeneres the Grammy's had a slight edge over the average Elks convention. The awards kicked off with an immediate nod to Eric Clapton's performance of "Change the World" for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. What a shock.
It was refreshing to see 14-year-old Leann Rimes win the Best New Artist award. It did seem like a junior skating championship, being that she was the youngest award recipient.
Perhaps the most annoying part of the evening was the slew of so-so performances by principal award contenders. No Doubt, nominated for Best Rock Album, performed its catchy tune, "Spiderwebs," on a stage too big for even the pogo dancing of lead singer Gwen Stefani. All dolled up like Madonna in skater chic clothes, Stefani's singing was breathless and rushed. The acoustics at the Garden were awful, and No Doubt proved too small for its own big noise.
Celine Dion's screeching performance of "All by Myself" was abrasive and unnerving enough to warrant a desire for a gun to blow the TV to kingdom come. Her attempt to pull off a Whitney Houston-style look and performance failed as soon as she opened her mouth. What a fine introduction to a woman who snagged both the Best Pop Album and Album of the Year for "Falling Into You."
Yet another disappointing performance came from Best Hard Rock Performance Award winners, the Smashing Pumpkins. Not only did the fashionably dark-suited Billy Corgan's voice sound a bit lackluster, but the reverberation in the Garden was too much. The leather-clad women impersonating hip youths, dancing in cage-like cocoons around the stage didn't help the song much either.
Best Rap Album winner, the Fugees, gave a so-so rendition of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry." With so many people on the stage to accompany the trio, and Wyclef draped in the flag of Zaire, the stage started to look like a Superbowl half-time show.
On a brighter note, Best Male Rock Artist and Best Alternative Performance winner Beck gave a performance of "Where It's At" that was just cheeky enough to inject the evening with some zest. The catchy rhythm and beat of the song made for a strong sound and an electric performance worth watching.
Tracy Chapman and Best Contemporary Folk Album-winner Bruce Springsteen also took control of the stage. Chapman's performance of "Give Me One Reason" with Junior Wells on harmonica was as perfect as any studio version. Her natural ease and mastery of the song proved her award slight to be a very major one. The Boss' new stripped-down folk tune from "The Ghost of Thom Joad"showcased his ability to once again give a voice to the downtrodden.
Dark cavernous venue, multiple oversights and uninteresting performances aside, this year's Grammy's did have its upside. Beck brought home the gold, and we finally got to see Billy Corgan struggle to speak in public as a polite guy. At least this year there was a creative force behind the most popular awards. Justice is watching Alanis Morrisette and Bryan Adams go home empty-handed.
The payback came when innocent viewers were forced to watch Celine Dion kiss, hug and snivel her way to the stage to accept her Album of the Year Award, but of course it wouldn't be the Grammy's without a contrived ending. "Talent is not enough, I want to thank everyone that works in the shadows." You said it Celine.
AP PHOTO
Beck holds his two Grammys at Wednesday's show.
AP PHOTO
Eric Clapton receives his award at the Grammys.